Republican strategist and Never Trump stalwart Rick Wilson hit upon the perfect coinage when he described Trump as running a “scampaign.” It’s not that Trump doesn’t want to be president. It’s that the real objective, win or lose, is relaunching his lucrative brand. In recent years, Trump was getting diminishing returns with his main reality-show career, with The Apprentice facing dwindling ratings despite Trump’s false claim that it was the number-one show on TV. So his move to politics was a way of revitalizing his celebrity and opening up a new revenue stream. And now with talk about creating Trump TV, which he plans to launch in the wake of the election (whatever the result) to monetize the ratings that are currently being enjoyed by CNN and FOX, Trump looks to have a financially rewarding future even after his likely defeat. The move toward Trump TV will be especially helpful since his other traditional brand—as a hawker of high-end goods—has been tarnished by his political escapades. In effect, Trump’s campaign amounts to a very public re-branding maneuver.

I can’t wait for the first debate between Clinton & Trump. I can’t wait to see how the MSM tries to spin Trump’s unhinged rattling, ranting and spewing of meaningless garbage, insults and conspiracy theories, in lieu of presidential ideas and true policy positions. I can’t wait….the clock is ticking. It’s time for the American people to see once and for all, the stark reality (and contrast) of the two candidates before them in real time..not the media-filtered presentation of Trump as a viable candidate…

This @maddow segment opened by broadcasting a long portion of PBO’s speech in Estonia on the 25th anniversary of when 2 million people across the Baltics joined hands in a show of strength that PBO quoted one participant as saying “this wall is stronger than the Soviet Union’s bricks and mortar wall” (paraphrased).

Former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul closed the segment by saying he really liked PBO’s speech, that he was fired up and ready to go.